In autoimmune research, particularly type 1 diabetes, clinically annotated human biospecimens play a central role in identifying immune abnormalities, validating diagnostic markers, and supporting the development of effective interventions.

At Bay Biosciences, we support translational research by sourcing and delivering ethically obtained, IRB-approved human biospecimens specific to the needs of autoimmune research.

Understanding Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is not merely a metabolic disorder; it is a complex autoimmune disease driven by a dysregulated immune system that selectively destroys insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells.

Unlike type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, type 1 diabetes results from a targeted immune attack characterized by a dysregulated immune response, in which the body mistakenly identifies beta cells as foreign and eliminates them.

According to the American Diabetes Association, type 1 diabetes accounts for approximately 5–10% of all diabetes cases worldwide and commonly develops in children and young adults, though it can occur at any age.

Causes and Risk Factors

Type 1 diabetes arises from a mix of genetic and environmental factors.

Genetic Susceptibility

  • HLA class II gene variants (e.g., HLA-DR3, HLA-DR4)
  • Family history of type 1 diabetes
  • Polymorphisms in immune-regulatory genes (e.g., CTLA4, PTPN22)

Environmental Triggers

Large-scale biobanking initiatives allow researchers to correlate genetic and environmental exposures with immunologic biomarkers in at-risk populations.

Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

Recognizing early signs of diabetes is critical for timely diagnosis. It also helps prevent life-threatening complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).

Common type 1 diabetes symptoms include:

In pediatric populations, symptoms may progress rapidly.

How is Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosed?

Doctors use several tests to diagnose type 1 diabetes, and they often repeat them on a different day to confirm the results.

Some of the tests include:

A1C Test:

This test measures average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months. A reading of 6.5% or higher on two tests suggests diabetes.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test:

In this 2-hour test, blood sugar is checked before and 2 hours after drinking a sugary solution. It shows how the body handles glucose. Diabetes is diagnosed if your 2-hour blood sugar is 200 mg/dL or higher.

Random Glucose Test:

This test can be done anytime, without fasting. Diabetes is suspected if the blood sugar is 200 mg/dL or higher, along with other symptoms of high blood sugar.

Insulin and C-Peptide Levels:

In type 1 diabetes, these levels are usually low or normal, while they tend to be high in type 2 diabetes.

Antibody Tests:

People newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes often have antibodies targeting specific proteins in the pancreas.

Is There a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes?

Currently, there is no definitive cure for type 1 diabetes.

Care typically includes daily insulin administration using injections or insulin pumps, regular blood glucose monitoring, and careful management of diet and physical activity.

However, research into disease-modifying interventions is advancing rapidly, and we can expect better prevention and treatment methods in the future.

Existing & Emerging Therapeutic Strategies

Researchers continue to develop therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes in immune-mediated and metabolic diseases, particularly in conditions such as type 1 diabetes.

Firstly, Anti-CD3 monoclonal antibodies represent one of the most studied immune-targeting approaches. Teplizumab, which is an anti-CD3 antibody, delays the onset of stage 3 type 1 diabetes in high-risk individuals by modulating autoreactive T cells and preserving beta-cell function.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved teplizumab for delaying progression in at-risk patients.

Secondly, Cytokine-targeting biologics also play an important role in immunotherapy development.

Thirdly, Antigen-based therapies aim to retrain the immune system to tolerate the body’s own insulin-producing cells in type 1 diabetes. By introducing these antigens in controlled ways, such as orally, under the skin, or through the nasal route, the therapy seeks to reduce autoimmune attacks on beta cells.

Moreover, research is also being conducted to explore the usefulness of stem cell-based therapies in improving beta cell functioning.

The next decade of type 1 diabetes research will likely focus on:

  • Identifying predictive biomarkers before symptom onset
  • Developing antigen-specific immune tolerance therapies
  • Restoring endogenous insulin production
  • Integrating multi-omics datasets from diverse patient populations

None of these advancements is possible without reliable access to high-quality human biospecimen resources.

The Role of Human Biospecimens in Type 1 Diabetes Research

Human biospecimens are central to understanding disease onset, progression, and therapeutic response in type 1 diabetes.

Serum and plasma samples allow researchers to:

  • Detect islet autoantibodies
  • Stratify high-risk individuals
  • Monitor seroconversion in longitudinal cohorts

PBMCs and whole blood samples facilitate:

  • Flow cytometry-based immune phenotyping
  • T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing
  • Cytokine profiling
  • Single-cell RNA sequencing

DNA and RNA extracted from human biospecimens support:

  • Genome-wide association studies (GWAS)
  • Epigenetic profiling
  • Transcriptomic analysis of immune pathways

Histological and molecular examination allows researchers to:

  • Quantify residual beta-cell mass
  • Assess immune cell infiltration
  • Evaluate inflammatory signaling pathways

Longitudinal Cohorts and Translational Impact

Longitudinal human biospecimen collections are particularly valuable in type 1 diabetes research.

Samples collected at multiple time points, including pre-diagnosis, diagnosis, and post-treatment, enable:

  • Biomarker trajectory analysis
  • Early intervention studies
  • Therapeutic monitoring

Immune reconstitution assessment

Supporting Your Research With Bay Biosciences

Bay Biosciences works closely with clinical research organizations by supplying research-ready type 1 diabetes samples.

Repositories and biobanks like ours that properly catalog and preserve research samples ensure accuracy and reliability in your research findings. You can read more about our quality assurance and quality control practices here!

Along with type 1 diabetes samples, human tissue samples from many other therapeutic areas and diseases, and samples from normal healthy donors, volunteers, for controls, and clinical research are also available.

If you have any questions, concerns, or special requests, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!